Our History
The Arlington Reformed Church congregation was first organized in 1910. At that time, the Arlington area of Poughkeepsie was a "cow pasture" and a growing suburb of Poughkeepsie. To meet the spiritual needs of the new community a small group began evening meetings in a private home. The Rev. Addison C. Bird was called to be the founding pastor. The area around the church was residential, most people walked to church on Sunday.
Over the years the Arlington area of Poughkeepsie became much more commercial with a growing business district. When the Arterial was built, our on-street parking on Haight Avenue was lost.
In 2006, one of the big decisions made was to remove the Snyder dwelling, a wood frame house on the south side of the church, to make room for parking. Architectural plans were drawn up for the outside work and the interior renovations, including installation of a lift to connect the main floor of the building with the ground floor Fellowship Hall and the educational rooms downstairs. Here are some of the ways we have made building and grounds changes:
- The Snyder house was demolished.
- A parking lot with accessible parking was built on campus.
- The outside walkways and entrance to the building were made accessible.
- An accessible bathroom was built upstairs on the main floor.
- An lift was installed connecting the main floor to the ground floor.
- One of the downstairs bathrooms was made accessible.
- Electrical wiring in the Fellowship Hall was brought up to date.
- A new vinyl floor was installed throughout the downstairs area.
- We purchased the "Lutz House" up behind the church building to use as part of
our campus ministries
As a result of these improvements, the building is accessible to all and is used widely by the church for its programs and the community as well.
In 2016 we designed a Vision Statement:
“We are a caring community of believers in Jesus Christ, reaching out to our local community for the purpose of sharing God’s love and making an impact for good in people’s lives."
As a congregation, we work together "in one mind and one accord" as the scripture says. Together, as a team of one, the congregation has built diligently and with joy to freshen and make repairs to the building, add faith building structure and programs and create ministries and programs within the vision statement to reach our community with the love we ourselves have received from God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are a very united family of God in the Arlington and greater Poughkeepsie area.
On Sundays, Pastor Frank Gallo presents a message from God's Word. We have programs for children and adults. We have fellowship following every service. We are a church family that does love our community...because we love God and each other.
Over the years the Arlington area of Poughkeepsie became much more commercial with a growing business district. When the Arterial was built, our on-street parking on Haight Avenue was lost.
In 2006, one of the big decisions made was to remove the Snyder dwelling, a wood frame house on the south side of the church, to make room for parking. Architectural plans were drawn up for the outside work and the interior renovations, including installation of a lift to connect the main floor of the building with the ground floor Fellowship Hall and the educational rooms downstairs. Here are some of the ways we have made building and grounds changes:
- The Snyder house was demolished.
- A parking lot with accessible parking was built on campus.
- The outside walkways and entrance to the building were made accessible.
- An accessible bathroom was built upstairs on the main floor.
- An lift was installed connecting the main floor to the ground floor.
- One of the downstairs bathrooms was made accessible.
- Electrical wiring in the Fellowship Hall was brought up to date.
- A new vinyl floor was installed throughout the downstairs area.
- We purchased the "Lutz House" up behind the church building to use as part of
our campus ministries
As a result of these improvements, the building is accessible to all and is used widely by the church for its programs and the community as well.
In 2016 we designed a Vision Statement:
“We are a caring community of believers in Jesus Christ, reaching out to our local community for the purpose of sharing God’s love and making an impact for good in people’s lives."
As a congregation, we work together "in one mind and one accord" as the scripture says. Together, as a team of one, the congregation has built diligently and with joy to freshen and make repairs to the building, add faith building structure and programs and create ministries and programs within the vision statement to reach our community with the love we ourselves have received from God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are a very united family of God in the Arlington and greater Poughkeepsie area.
On Sundays, Pastor Frank Gallo presents a message from God's Word. We have programs for children and adults. We have fellowship following every service. We are a church family that does love our community...because we love God and each other.
|
|
The Arlington Reformed Church is situated at a busy intersection in the thriving Arlington Business District in the town of Poughkeepsie- on the corner of Raymond and Haight Avenues. We are a few blocks up from Vassar College. There is additional parking behind the building off Haight Avenue or across the street at the former A S May Elementary School.